JEDDAH, 28 December 2004 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd urged pilgrims coming for next month’s Haj to refrain from any acts that might disturb the pilgrimage or cause inconvenience to their fellow Muslims and to concentrate instead on prayer and supplication.
Speaking at the weekly Cabinet session which he chaired yesterday at Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, the king welcomed the pilgrims and urged government agencies to double their efforts to ensure that pilgrims perform their duty in peace and comfort.
Pilgrims have already started arriving in Makkah where an estimated two million Muslims from all over the world are expected to perform Haj which will climax on Jan. 20.
“Saudi Arabia will spare no effort and will mobilize its human and material resources to provide all that the pilgrims need during their stay in the Kingdom. Serving the pilgrims is an honor as it is a responsibility that our country takes pride in fulfilling,” King Fahd said.
Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Fouad Al-Farsy said King Fahd expressed his sorrow at the disaster that struck the Asian states of Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand and Bangladesh and conveyed to the leaders and peoples of those nations the condolences and sympathies of the Saudi government and people.
The minister said the Cabinet expressed appreciation for the king’s efforts in developing and expanding the industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu, especially the multi-billion mega projects in Jubail inaugurated during the past few days by Crown Prince Abdullah.
The Cabinet reviewed the achievements and progress made at Jubail Industrial City which it said was made possible by King Fahd’s unlimited support while he chaired the board of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, steering the two to become the Kingdom’s industrial hub and reach such level of progress.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Abdullah received in Dammam yesterday Bahrain’s King Hamad and discussed with him developments in the region, including Iraq, Palestine and other Arab and Islamic issues as well as the outcome of the recent Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Manama.
The two also reviewed bilateral relations and means of consolidating ties in all areas.
The Saudi Press Agency said the Bahraini king expressed pride in the role played by the Kingdom under the leadership of King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah in serving the GCC causes and its progress as well as serving Arab and Islamic causes.
The meeting was attended by Prince Miqren, minister of municipal and rural affairs, Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd, governor of the Eastern Province and his assistant Prince Jalawi ibn Abdul Aziz ibn Musaad and the delegation accompanying the Bahraini king.
